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Following a low carb diet plan doesn’t mean you have to eliminate ALL
whole grains from your diet. You don’t need to give up your daily bread
or morning cereal if you’re on a low carb diet or have a wheat allergy.
Just choose any of these Top 3 Secret Good Carb high protein grains,
used by the Aztecs, Romans, Incas and the Egyptians:

Quinoa is a powerhouse of nutrition favored by the Incas.
It can be turned into a tabbouleh or a high-protein good carb breakfast
cereal. To cook Quinoa: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 1-cup
rinsed quinoa. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Fluff with fork. If desired,
toast the quinoa before cooking to bring out the nutty flavor.

Amaranth was the Aztec’s choice for flour, cereal or crackers.
It boasts a protein content that exceeds ordinary wheat.To cook Amaranth:
Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil, stir in 1-cup amaranth.

Spelt was a staple of every Gladiator’s diet, again having
more protein than regular wheat. I prefer it as a pasta. To cook Spelt:
For whole grain, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in 1-cup spelt
grain; simmer for one hour. For rolled grain, bring 2 cups water to
a boil. Stir in 1 cup spelt grain; simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

All these high-protein good carb grains can be found as flour, cracker,
cereal, bread, pasta or even cookies! And as an added benefit, these
grains are high in fiber ( and we already know that is one of the keys
to weight loss.)

Allergic to wheat? Not to worry. These grains are just what
you’re looking for to keep your protein levels high. Now, some contain
no wheat but do contain gluten, which needs to be avoided by those with
Celiac Sprue Disease. I’ve included a table to help keep things clear.
So check them out in stores such as Whole Foods, Wild Oats or Trader
Joes or in the Health Food section of your local grocery store.

Eating a diet rich in protein and lean on carbs may burn more calories according to a study published in the Nutrition Journal. It’s all about the laws of thermodynamics, you know, those silly little equations that claim energy is never lost, except when it comes to exchanging heat. Researchers Richard Feinman and Eugene Fine claim that “a calorie is a calorie” actually violates the second law of thermodynamics, which predicts that various sources of energy will lose more heat when burned. So what does this mean when it comes to dieting?

Plenty. Protein and carbohydrates are processed differently in the body. Protein has the thermodynamic edge, because more energy is released as heat than is converted into chemical energy or glucose. So although a chunk of steak and a bowl of noodles carry equal calories, the amount of energy the body scours from them to fuel movement or store as fat is quite different.

This would explain, according to Feinman, why two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine found that those on a low carb, high protein diet shed three times as much weight as those on a low fat diet after six months. Further evidence for this argument can be found in a study done by Dr. Astrup in Denmark, Copenhagen. He studied 12 men in a room and measured scientifically how much energy each man burned when fed a diet high in protein or carbs. Men who ate lean protein, such as pork, put out 4% more heat than those on a high carbohydrate diet, not to mention they lost more weight.

All this is good news for people enjoying a low carb lifestyle, but don=t expect the diet world to embrace Feinman=s opinion with open arms. Experts still claim the main reason people lose weight on a low-carb diet is because they eat fewer calories. But could there be another reason?

Unlike high carbohydrate diets, protein triggers a response in the stomach that affects motility and stimulates the release of glucagon, a hormone that helps us to burn previously stored fat. In normal people, within thirty minutes of eating a small amount of protein, glucagon starts to rise, peaking at two hours. In fact, glucagon can stay elevated in blood for several hours after a protein rich meal. This gives your body plenty of time to use the fat stored around your waist and hips for fuel. Combine this with Feinman’s argument regarding the second law of thermodynamics and high protein/low-carb eating should have the metabolic advantage over low fat and calorically restricted diets when it comes to losing weight.

Diet choices are like hats – not all fit or look good on everyone. But if you suffer from heart disease or diabetes, choosing a lifestyle that emphasizes a diet rich in lean protein, moderate amounts of fats and low glycemic carbohydrates can go a long way towards cheating the Grim Reaper.

Looking for the Top 6 Best Fruits for a Low Carb Diet? What…you can’t have any fruit on a low carb diet?

If you think sticking to a low carb diet plan means shunning fruit, you’re not alone. In a survey, 30% of low carb dieters said they had reduced their fruit intake and 14% had stopped eating fruit altogether. This means roughly 11 million Americans have dropped some essential nutrients from their diets.

Eliminating fruits is a common misconception. Fruits, especially the ones below, will provide building-block nutrients in your diet while not raising your blood sugar, AND they provide an excellent source of fiber.

Which fruit packs the biggest nutrition punch? It’s the lowly Kiwi! So be sure and include 1 cup of fruit a day in your low carb diet plan.

Here’s my Top 6 Best Fruits for a Low Carb Diet and their carb count per one cup serving:

KIWI 14gm

AVOCADO 12gm

PAPAYA 14gm

CANTALOUPE 18gm

STRAWBERRIES 11gm

GRAPEFRUIT12gm

See? Now wasn’t that easy and tasty? It’s no problem having fruit on a low carb diet if you choose wisely.

Yogurt topped with Wheat Germ, blueberries and nuts Now this
is a great, easy breakfast treat. I use organic full fat yogurt, but
you can use a low fat one, and sprinkle the crunchy wheat germ and
fiber rich blueberries on top. I even sweeten it with some sucralose.
My choice for nuts is a sprinkling of sliced almonds. Yum!

Cottage cheese and berries I often have this for either breakfast
or lunch, using a 2% fat cottage cheese and raspberries and blueberries.

Omelets, low carb toast and 1/2 grapefruit or orange. Making
an omelet is easy. Add some carb controlled bread, such as the new
Atkin’s approved Orowheat brand, and 1/2 of a fiber rich grapefruit
of fresh orange and you’ve got loads of fiber.

Cheese, avocado, tomato sandwich Who says you can’t have
a sandwich for breakfast? Just take some carb controlled whole wheat
bread ( I take one slice and cut it in half), add a slice of provolone
cheese, some tomatoes and slices of avocado and top with the other
slice of bread.

Cold Low GI Cereal Breakfast cereal brands are changing dramatically, and ones like Kashi, Fiber One, All Bran and Nature’s Path Organic Optimum Slim are high in fiber, relatively low in carbs and full of good, crunchy taste.

Research studies have shown that children who eat a high-fiber, low
sugar breakfast were less hungry at lunchtime and ate less than children
fed a high sugar, low fiber cereal. Another study reported that people
who ate refined grains stripped of their fiber were MORE likely to gain
weight or be overweight than those eating a natural high-fiber whole
grains.

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The information contained in this web site is not intended as a substitute for the medical recommendations of physicians or other health-care providers. It reflects the experiences, studies, research, and opinions of the author and is presented for informational purposes only. Before beginning this, or any nutrition program, you should consult with your health-care provider.